In another attempt, we reached the tetracyclic structure 42 via two consecutive [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions. Reaction of 3-cyano-4-benzopyrone 31 with Danishefsky s diene 38 in toluene at 300 °C for 96 h provided the desired cycloadduct 39 in 80% yield with an endo exo ratio of 1 2 [Scheme 8]. Hydrolysis of the silyl enol ether in 39 using TMSBr in CH3CN at room temperature proved to be feasible but slow, and afforded the enone 40 in 90% yield. Reaction of diene 41 with enone 40 in the presence of 2.5 equiv of BF3-Et20 yielded tetracycle 42 in 25% yield with an endo exo ratio of 1 1 after 120 h at room temperature.49 [Pg.50]